


Will You Remember

by Elri



Category: Wonder Woman (2017), Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Canon, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 20:49:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14626764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elri/pseuds/Elri
Summary: Charlie has a lot of rough nights, but sometimes he doesn't have to face them alone





	Will You Remember

No matter how many times he relived the same night over and over again Charlie had never gotten used to the nightmares. When he was asleep, he felt the same heightened panic and desperation, trying so hard to change what he knew he couldn’t. When he awoke, he felt the same guilt and heartache that left a sour taste in his mouth not even the booze could drown. He’d stopped throwing up every time he jolted awake with dead eyes searing into his mind, so that was something.

 

The others had gotten used to them too, leaving him be when he walked off to try to clear his head and mercifully not commenting on the bags under his eyes that he was sure just kept getting worse. He pretended he didn’t notice the way they looked at him with pity and concern in their eyes. Especially Sami…

 

Sami always looked at him the longest, after the others had turned away. Charlie had a feeling that if he ever looked up he’d find Sami’s eyes watching him. He did his best to keep up a cheerier face, trying to reassure them all he was fine, but he had a feeling Sami knew.

 

But Charlie had to keep going, keep moving in whatever direction they told him to go. If he stopped or faltered for a moment, everyone would know. Everyone would see how broken he really was, how much he was falling apart. And what good is a broken soldier? What do you do with him, besides put him away where no one can see and he can’t get in the way. If Charlie couldn’t shoot…what else was there for him?

 

Some nights he wasn’t sure if it was his memories or his fears that were keeping him awake.

 

Charlie and Sami and Steve were on a recon mission deep in German occupied territory. Chief had helped them get across the border and through the minefields, but left to do some work of his own once they were past the worst of it. They would meet up again in a few days to head back but for now it was just the three of them.

 

They’d had to set up their camp early for the night, any further and they’d be too close. A fire was lit and kept low, more for the purpose of giving light than for warmth since it was summer. Steve called first shift, Sami claimed second, Charlie had a sneaking suspicion they’d planned that but couldn’t prove anything and didn’t feel like arguing the point. They spent the time before the sun went down telling stories and recalling past missions (with ridiculously exaggerated details all around), sharing the shitty beer they’d brought with them. For a moment, it was almost like they were just out camping, not putting their lives on the line in the middle of the worst war the world had ever seen.

 

Once the sun set they settled in for the night. Steve took up his watch position, gun resting on his lap, while Sami and Charlie laid out on their pallets. They kept their boots on so they would be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Each of them had a gun within reach, and Charlie knew all three men had at least one knife somewhere on their persons. He’d already checked that his sgian-dubh* was secure in his stocking. If anything or anyone came at them in the dead of night, Charlie sure as hell wasn’t going down without a fight.

 

Your mind is not so easy to fight off, however…

 

It was the same as ever, only changing a little since they’d started. At first, it had just been the faces of the men he’d served with that had died in the field with him. Then the men who’d survived started falling as well. Then he began seeing people who hadn’t been there…others he’d served with…people from home…Steve…Chief…Sami…

 

Those were the worst, when he saw the men he trusted with his life lose theirs right in front of him, all the while knowing that it was inevitable and there was nothing he could do, but still crying out and fighting to try and stop it. Sometimes, he managed to stagger to Sami’s side, clutching him close, sobbing and begging for it to stop. And every time Sami just looked at him, not blaming him for what happened, just seeing him and everything he always tried to hide.

 

“Please,” He begged, “Stay with me Sami, please don’t go…”

 

Sami said nothing, just reached up and grabbed onto Charlie’s coat, mouth moving as he tried to speak. Instead he coughed up blood, his face going ashen.

 

“No, Sami! Hang on, please! Please, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…please Sameer” Charlie clutched him to his chest, rocking slightly as he pleaded.

 

Charlie woke up gasping, choking on a sob. He lay on his pallet, trying to breathe and bring his heartrate down to normal. No one stirred around him, and he didn’t dare move to look if anyone had noticed. As he tuned into his surroundings more, he could hear the faintest crackle from the fire, and the breathing of his companions. He clenched his fist, willing himself to calm down. The tears were still caught in his throat, making each breath a struggle.

 

Out of the darkness, Charlie heard something he’d never heard before.

 

_“Love is so sweet in the springtime, when two hearts are singing in May. No years that are coming can bring time, to make me forget dear, this day.”_

 

Sami was singing. Sami never sang, Charlie had never heard him, not even when he was playing a part.

 

_“I love you in life's gray December, the same as I love you today; my heart ever young will remember the thrill it knew, that day in May.”_

 

He didn’t know the song, but as he let the words drift around him he relaxed his hands and the tears ebbed.

 

_“Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart, will you love me ever? Will you remember this day, when we were happy in May? My dearest one…”_

 

Sami’s voice faded out with the end of the song. Charlie didn’t know if Sami knew he was awake, wasn’t sure if he knew what he’d just done for Charlie, but Charlie tucked the memory into a corner of his heart where the doubt and guilt and sorrow hadn’t reached yet, keeping it where it would be safe. He smiled, closing his eyes and drifting off into quieter sleep.

 

Sami glanced across the fire and saw as Charlie’s figure relaxed, sighing softly with relief.

**Author's Note:**

> *[ sgian-dubh ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sgian-dubh)
> 
> Title song and song in fic: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywl9eI7zAok ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywl9eI7zAok)  
> Two things: 1. Sami sings it a bit gentler because he's not a singer and he's trying to calm not woo, and 2. it was written after the timeline of the movie but I liked it too much to care


End file.
